Make a vermicompost bin - PEA BB dimensional.sand.vermicompost

How long could you expect such a wooden worm bin to last? I raised eisenia fetida for a while years ago, but found it difficult to manage the moisture of their plastic-bin-bound habitat and suspect the inferior ventilation of hard plastic might be one of the factors that led to the problem. As I'm considering a shift to a more mobile lifestyle in the future, I would love to learn more about keeping worms and compost in containers.

Good question.  I think it depends on if it's inside or out.  I watched a couple youtubes and at least one of the people thought the wood would keep the worms happier than being sealed up in plastic and potentially baking in the sun.  Full disclosure, I've never built one myself...

This is my BB Submission:

My current vermicomposter is a black plastic tote from my pre permies days. It’s nearly full and time to empty and relocate. I have a large plastic trough that it sits on and collects tea. I decided to reuse the trough and this dictated the maximum footprint, which came in at 3.1 sq ft and met the second requirement of 3 sq feet. I planned to build two trays and then a couple more when it’s up and running.

1) I wrote down a rough design so I could work out what materials I needed.



2) I was going to build from 2 by 4 lumber, a pallet my bike came on, some hardware cloth, decking screws and washers. The internal dimensions are 43 by 67 cm which is 3.1 sq ft. I had everything I needed except two ten foot 2 by fours and a 2ft by 5ft hardware cloth. I bought them from Home Depot and lashed the lumber to my bike for different BB in Homesteading.

3) I measured out set to with a saw. I now had my starting lumber for the boxes.





4) Each tray has four pieces which I screwed together with decking screws. I drilled and counter sunk three holes at each end of the long section first.





5) Both frames need the cloth attached. I fixed it with decking screws and a washer. The brace makes an excellent screw driver. I cut the cloth to size with tin snips.





6) Two trays complete - now I need a lid and handles.



7) I had a pallet left over from my bike delivery. The wood is ok to use - HT means heat treated, no icky stuff.



8) I broke it down with a hammer and crow bar and then removed all the nails with a claw hammer.









9) This is a layout of the lid on top of a tray to check I had enough materials before removing the nails and cutting to size.



10) Some pieces needed cleaning up so they would fit together. I used my newly restored plane.



11) I assembled the pieces and then screwed everything together with deck screws and a brace. Lid finished.





12) I wanted some handles that would also double up as supports to keep each piece aligned. I used some off cuts and cut four rectangles. I then stacked them and using a 3/4 inch auger drilled through the whole stack to make two holes four inches appart. I then removed the wood inbetween with a copping saw and chisel. I also used the chisel to chamfer the edges. I screwed them to the short sides of the trays with deck screws.









Vermicomposter finished. Tomorrow I will install it and start the Animal Care BB for a worm farm.







Everything including fetching the materials from the shops was done with human power alone. It was between 1 and 8’C today and I was working in an unheated garage with the door open. It took me roughly five hours. If I had used power tools, it would have taken two but I would have been too cold. I don’t think I would have built a better bin. I wouldn’t have learnt as much. There would have been a lot more noise and dust. I wouldn’t have the same sense of achievement that I now have. I really enjoyed this project and I’ll be making a lot more things with hand tools.

Thanks Mike - change of plan. I built a collection tray with oil cloth so I could return the plastic trough to it’s original purpose. One week later i have a happy worm farm up and running and submitted Animal Care PEA Badge bit where you can see the farm in action.

Here’s the collector



With the first tray installed